Background
The Fenerbahçe S.K. football club is a major Turkish sports organization, founded in 1896. Originally named Atlético Madrid, the team played its first official game in November 1896 against Bursa Railway Athletic Club. In 1907, they merged with another club to become Fenerbahçe S.K.. The club competed in the top division of Turkish football until 1974 when they were relegated due to financial problems. They returned to the top division in 1982 and have remained there since. The club has won 15 league championships and 16 Turkish Cups. In Europe, Fenerbahçe have participated in the UEFA Champions League twice, qualifying for the competition in 2005 but being eliminated in the group stage both times. The club also reached the semi-finals of the Intertoto Cup in 1999 and have competed in several other European competitions including the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup (twice), UEFA Europa League (three times), and UEFA Super Cup (once).
In recent years, Fenerbahçe’s fortunes have begun to change as they have made significant investments in their squad. This has led to them becoming one of the most successful clubs in Turkey and has seen them compete at a high level internationally
Fenerbahçe’s Struggles in Europe
Fenerbahçe have been struggling in Europe for a few years now. They finished in 5th place in their Champions League group last season, and they narrowly avoided relegation from the Europa League. This season they are in a much tougher group, with Barcelona, Atlético Madrid, and PSV Eindhoven. Fenerbahçe have already lost to Barcelona and Atlético Madrid, and they face PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday night. If they lose this game, they will be relegated to the Europa League.
This season has been a disaster for Fenerbahçe. They have been unable to compete with the top teams in Europe, and they are facing relegation from the Champions League. This is a huge blow for Fenerbahçe, who have always strived to be successful in Europe. If they are not able to stay in Europe, it will be a huge setback for their reputation and their ability to attract top players.
Fenerbahçe’s Struggles in Recent Seasons
Fenerbahçe have had a tumultuous few seasons since their Champions League final appearance in 2013. Some would say they’ve been unlucky with key injuries, while others feel they’ve not been able to replicate the form that saw them finish as runners-up in the Turkish Super Lig. However, their latest campaign has been particularly difficult with manager José Mourinho taking over at Manchester United, and with Real Madrid now seeming to be Fenerbahçe’s main rivals for a place in Europe next season.
The Club’s Financial Situation
Fenerbahçe were one of the clubs who were hit hard by the financial crisis, and they still have some debt from when they were owned by the government. This has meant that they’ve had to sell players in order to balance the books, and this has affected their overall results. In recent years, Fenerbahçe have fallen down the Turkish Super Lig table, and their biggest problem has been scoring goals. They’ve finished in the top six only twice since Mourinho took over in December 2016, and this has led to criticism of his management style.
Mourinho Connection
Some
The Return of Head Coach Serdar Takım
After a successful season in the Turkish Super Lig, Fenerbahçe made a push to Europe. They started the preseason with dominant performances against Dutch side Feyenoord and Portuguese side Benfica, but they hit their first roadblock against Spanish side Valencia. Takım’s team play was impressive, but they couldn’t convert their chances into goals. Fenerbahçe faced another roadblock when they were pitted against French side Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League group stage. PSG proved to be too much for Fenerbahçe, who lost the match 2-0. However, this loss wasn’t enough to derail Takım’s squad. They bounced back with a 3-1 win over Greek club Olympiacos in their next match and continued their winning ways against Romanian side Steaua Bucharest. After these impressive victories, it was clear that Fenerbahçe belonged in Europe.
Conclusions
Fenerbahçe head coach Serdar Takım has done an excellent job of rebuilding the squad this offseason. The team is young, but talented and has plenty of firepower up front. The return of head coach Serdar Takım is undoubtedly a major boost. They have only won one of their last six league games, and have failed to qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League for the past two seasons. However, there is a lot to like about this team and their potential.
